Birthday Season Continued

We had a great time celebrating Mark's birthday yesterday.  FINALLY (after 10 days), he caught up to me in age!  :-)  Will had school on Thursday, so Matt took the day off to celebrate with us - we had a great lunch at Glory Days Grill and then saw Captain America.  We finished up the day by picking up Will, enjoying cake with Mom, Dad, and Matt, and watching Big Brother.  Oh yeah, and plenty of "Hap Birtday to You" singings by Will!  :-)

Below is Mark's birthday lunch: a "Mac and Cheese Burger."  Yep, that's really mac and cheese.  On the burger.  Practically heaven for Mark.

Yay for birthday cake!!

Dining Room Makeover

We've been working on a Dining Room Makeover this week.  It was over two years in the making, so we're excited for the changes!!

Dining Room Seat Cushions BEFORE:

Dining Room Seat Cushions AFTER:

Chandelier and Ceiling BEFORE:
(Can I just say... What was the previous homeowner thinking???)

Chandelier and Ceiling AFTER:

New color for below the chair rail: Arid Plains.

Wordless Wednesday

Around the House

Things heard and seen around our house lately:

1. "Right back??" - Ever since Will overheard a waitress saying she would be right back, that's his catch phrase whenever he has to "go" somewhere (like from the living room to the kitchen).  He likes to assure us that he will be "right back."
2. Big Brother talk - This reality show is our guilty pleasure every summer.  It is on CBS three times a week, so there is always plenty to talk about!  This year we have fully gotten Matt involved in our obsession!!  We usually get together at least twice a week to watch it.
3. "[S]nacklepops" - Will's way of talking about Rice Krispies ("Snap, crackle, pop"), his favorite cereal.
4. Jumping on bed - this is how Will greets us every time when he wakes up now.  "Jump, Mama, jump!" or "Jump, Daddy, jump!"  Then he often stops and falls down on the crib, saying he's "seepy" and he wants to cover up.
5. Bunny Rabbit - Lately we've been bringing Bunny Rabbit down from Will's crib in the morning.  He loves to hold Bunny Rabbit and show him everything.  Not only does he like to show him everything, but he also wants Bunny Rabbit to experience it all for himself.  For example, this morning Bunny Rabbit watched me make Will's [S]nacklepops, listened to them making noise, and got a chance to "try" them himself!!
6. Ice cubes - Since I've put ice cubes in his drink a couple of times to help cool it down in the summer's heat, he thinks he needs ice cubes every time!  Watch out - he may end up being quite the bartender because he loves to shake up his ice cubes in his drink cup.
7. Books - We've been reading this summer whenever we get a chance.  Mark introduced me to James Patterson's Alex Cross series.  He had recently read Double Cross.  I took a mini-break from Harry Potter and read Roses Are Red and Violets Are Blue by James Patterson.  Now I'm back to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  Mark, meanwhile, is now reading Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov.

Birthday Season

July is here.  That means it's hot.  That means we're enjoying summer break.  That also means it's Birthday Season!!  Since we have birthdays in July (the 18th and the 28th), Mark and I have always celebrated the entire second half of the month.  Maggie's birthday was in July, so we even placed her between ours for Strickler Family Fun!!  Two years ago Will came along on August 6th to allow some extension of the Birthday Season.  We love it.

We had two cakes to celebrate my birthday - from my parents and from Mark and Will.

Here's Mark and Will singing me "Happy Birthday" - Will has learned that song and loves to sing it.  It's more like "Hap Birday to You," but that makes it extra sweet.

We went to a birthday party on Saturday for Laila, a friend from Goddard.  Will enjoyed playing, eating hot dogs and oranges, and enjoying a cupcake... well, once I made it into a "cupcake sandwich."  :-)

Wordless Wednesday

Mark gets the credit for this one.  We have been working on potty stuff - Will pee-peed once on Monday!! - but he must have overheard me saying we were potty training.  Hahahaha!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Bunny Rabbit's Field Trip

Today was "Bring a Stuffed Animal to School" in Will's class at Goddard today.  He was thrilled when I told him that Bunny Rabbit could go to school with him today.  We brought him downstairs, and he showed Bunny Rabbit how to make microwave pancakes, eat them, and drink juice!

When I dropped him off at school, I saw the note on the door said it was "Bring your favorite Australian stuffed animal."  Oh well.  There are rabbits in Australia, right??  I hope Bunny Rabbit enjoys his day with the kangaroos, koalas, and wallabies.  :-)

Outer Banks

Last week (thanks to Mom and Dad!!!!), Mark and I were able to go away for a couple of days.  We spent Monday through Wednesday at the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Will got to spend time with Meme and Pawpaw!!

Monday evening on the 4th we enjoyed a seafood dinner, then went out to the beach outside our hotel.  We got to experience fireworks on the beach, and it was so much fun!  I have personally decided that the beach is where I should spend every Independence Day!!  :-)

Tuesday morning: Duck Donuts.  Yum.  It was such a neat place - you can watch your donuts being made!  We spent the day on the beach on Tuesday; it was hot (even under our big umbrella), but we cooled off in the hotel pool.  A bit of reading and a lot of people watching, all with the accompaniment of sea breeze and ocean sounds: amazing.

Wordless Wednesday

This Week

We've been having a lot of fun this week at home with Mark on vacation.

We had been at the pool on Sunday evening, and I guess Will was exhausted, because he slept in until 8:30 (!!!) Monday morning.  It was amazing.  We decided we should go to the pool every evening if it meant sleeping in the next morning!!  :-)

Fingerpainting on Wedenesday before Storytime at the Chester Library:

Will LOVES his oranges!

Pictures from "Backwards Day" at Goddard on Thursday:

Fun at the pool with Will's new float this evening:

He loves being able to kick and splash while sitting in his own personal flotation device!